John McCarthy BE CEng; Valerie Fenton, Chairperson Engineer's Ireland Cork Region and Brian McKeown, Chairperson of the RIAI Southern Region, three of the five judges in the Cork City 2101 Design Competition photographed in St. Peter's, North Main Street.,

VISIONS of how Cork city may look, move and interact in 80 years' time, 2101, as envisaged by engineers, are being presented from today at the city's Vision Centre, North Main Street.

They include dealing with floods and rising sea levels, tidal barrages, flooding or widening other areas along the Lee for leisure pursuits, such as a lido, as well as rewilded areas for nature.

The N40 city arterial route is reimagined as a green corridor, and cars are removed from the city (this was on the cards before this month's energy price hikes!), and Kent Station is shown as a multi-modal transport hub, with viewing cranes and activity slides into the River Lee - an update of the slides seen 120 years ago at Cork's Great Exhibitions.

So lists Valerie Fenton, who's Chair of Engineer’s Ireland Cork Branch, as the three-day exhibit goes on public display, with winners of the €10,000 price fund announced this evening at a public event in the St Peter's Vision Centre -  a former church on the city's 'historic spine,' now itself repurposed.

Nine shortlisted entries will be displayed, six from professional firms, practicing engineers and other professionals and there are also three student entries, via engagement with UCC and MTU.

Judging is done by Dr Mary Moloney, MTU, Tricia O’Sullivan, Chair Irish Planning Institute Cork Branch, Peter McKeown, Chair RIAI Southern Branch, Valerie Fenton, Chair Engineer’s Ireland Cork Branch and John McCarthy BEng,  between them covering a  broad spectrum of engineers and representatives from partner professions in the built environment.

“We are confident that the public will be enthused by the variety and originality produced by the engineer-led teams and that this opportunity for expression will inspire Cork’s younger population to consider a career in the solution-focused industry of engineering," says Valerie Fenton, who headed the Engineers' Ireland Cork branch in its 80th anniversary year 2021, hence its decision to lay out a challenge for visions of the city in another 80 years time.

The exhibition of the entries is open to the public in St Peters Church, North Main Street 10th -12th March 10-5pm each day.

The spectrum on display "offers the public an opportunity to engage with these visions, something it is hoped will stimulate much discussion and debate about the future direction of Cork’s physical environment, economy, and society," states  Ms Fenton, adding "the competition has been a great opportunity for the engineering community to showcase its creativity and innovation in addressing the challenges that face Cork City, the Metropolitan Area, Greater Cork, and Cork County, over the coming 80 years."

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